Character Sketches #3&4

 

What makes you smile?

What is happiness? I have been asking this question lately, and I decided it is anything that makes you smile. Anything that shows your teeth. Anything that causes a sparkle in your eye. I have attached  a list of those things of mine, but I am most interested in your thoughts.

What makes you smile, my loves? What is your magical simplicity?

Character Sketch #2 - Rachel McAdams

I always leave the first page of a new journal blank. I think it's because I intend to come back, write a summary, or draw something beautiful- and this time I am determined to find the perfect character for my sketch #1.

Anyway, since I skipped page one- Rachel McAdams is technically Character Sketch #2 for the (Art House Co-op) Sketchbook Project.

I have always loved Rachel. I cut my hair over the summer to match her short curly bob. I think she is stunning, fun, and so beautiful. I see every movie that she acts in. (Like your typical helpless romantic) The Notebook is my all-time favorite. Trying to catch this very alive  person- via pencil-  was a challenge.

Her nose especially caused me some trouble. But I had to include her in a character sketchbook. I couldn't still call myself a fan if I didn't try!

The Sketchbook Project

For Christmas, my mother and father gave me a lovely gift. The gift of encouragement. This particular form of encouragement came in the form of a project.

The Sketchbook Project- Limited Edition, is a project sponsored by Art House Co-op. Anyone who was of the mind to sign up could chose a theme and apply for a sketchbook. Then Art House Co-op sent a blank one back to you. We were instructed to fill it up and send it back by April 30th. My sketchbook, and every other sketchbook, will be on display at the Brooklyn Art Museum beginning July of 2012. At least one entry from each will be published in a hardcover book.

It is an inspiring idea, and about time that I spoke of it on Magical Simplicity. Sketching has turned out to be a favorite pastime of mine. Truly magical to create something from a blank page.

Anyway my theme is "character sketchbook." If you're interested in sharing my journey- I shall be posting some of them here.
Cheers!

93 million miles from the sun

(It's a little long, skip to 3:16 if you want to hear a shorter intro).

Jason Mraz has a new single available. And it is stunning.

As a job searching, very anxious, increasingly nostalgic senior- this song speaks to me personally. I almost was brought to tears as I listened to it. I've pasted the lyrics, but that does not do this piece justice. If you feel at all like I do, a little hesitant about stepping into the real world, take a listen.

Love you, always.

93 million miles from the Sun, people get ready get ready, 'cause here it comes 
it's a light, a beautiful light, over the horizon in to your eyes 
Oh, my my how beautiful, oh my beautiful mother 
She told me, "Son in life you're gonna go far, and if you do it right you'll love where you are
Just know, that wherever you go, you can always come back home."

240 thousand miles from the Moon, you've come a long way to belong here,

To share this view of the night, a glorious night, over the horizon is another bright sky
Oh, my my how beautiful, oh my irrefutable father,
He told me, "Son in life it may seem dark, but the absence of the light is a necessary part.
Just know, that wherever you go, know you're never alone, you can always come back home."

Every road is a slippery slope
There is always a hand you can hold on to.
Looking deeper through the telescope
You can see that the home's inside of you.

Just know, that wherever you go, on no you're never alone, you can always get back home.

93 million miles from the sun, people get ready cause here it comes 
it's a light, a beautiful light, over the horizon into your eyes.

Happy Friday.

An image from ohjoy,blogs.com. 

Happy Friday, friends.

Spring has colored the trees around Oxford with bright pinks, white and yellows. But, like all magic, it only lasts for a moment. I find evidence of floating petals all over my car. Spring is in the air, and those blossoms are paving the way for new life around the world.

So, darlings, happy weekend! I hope that your mood matches the beauty that surrounds us.

Happy, Happy, Happy

Happy, happy, HAPPY first day of Spring!  This is surely the most magical time of the year!

Sunshine smiles.

I cannot deny this post any longer. It is BEAUTIFUL in Cincinnati, Ohio.  It has been beautiful for two weeks. The sun has been shining. The temperature tops off at about 72 every day. The flowers are blooming, the trees are blossoming, the animals have returned in force. The students are outside, the sandals have come out of the closet, and EVERYONE is smiling.

Sunshine is the world's most magical simplicity. And I am so incredibly happy that it has arrived so soon. Sunshine, smiles and simplicity darlings. Happy spring!

Shaemus the Leprechaun

Hearts, stars and horseshoes; clovers and blue moons; pots of gold and rainbows; and the red balloon!

I am currently enjoying a bowl of Lucky Charms and a splash of green milk.  Shaemus the leprechaun somehow snuck into my apartment this morning- as he has done every St. Patrick's day for over a decade- and delivered breakfast.

This is my favorite holiday of the year- I hope yours is as magical as mine!

Luck of the Irish

I am an Irish girl- through and through. For my entire life I have believed in leprechauns and pots of gold at the end of the rainbow. Our household leprechaun is a tricky little devil. Every St. Patrick's day he darts around the house turning our milk green. It's magical. I wish you all the best St. Patrick's day tomorrow- its a holiday for the fair/quickly sunburned, curly haired, dancing Irish all around. Let the celebrations begin!

Spring savings time

I LOVE daylight savings time. In my rank of favorite days of the year- Spring forward ranks third. (Only the Summer solstice & Christmas Eve ranking ahead).
I love that every day gets lighter, warmer and longer. I love that breakfast places are empty, and the birds are chirping when I wake up. I just love love love Spring Savings.

It is unofficial magical marker of Spring. Spring smiles lovelies!

full moons & sun storms.

They say that the full moon inspires dreamlike events. We know that high tide and low tide can be attributed to the moon.
We know that warewolves come out for the full moon. We sometimes blame bad behavior on the moon's affect on humans.
But today- March 8, 2012- the full moon falls in line with another major event: a solar storm. I don't think there can be any more magical natural event than that.

Born a Butler.

We got wood floors in the upstairs bedrooms. So when I came home for spring break- the daunting task at hand was to deep clean my new bedroom. I found lots of neat stuff: my highschool box consisted of yearbooks, a senior address, a beanie (you mustve gone to Saint Ursula if you know what that is), and AP flash cards. My old planners were lodged into a box of long sleeve tshirts (I knew I had more of those!) I have reintroduced old purses into my wardrobe and found a lot of spare change. Then (and I have no idea where this came from) I found a box of pictures- which lead me to these. Now I know many of you had great childhoods- but I argue that mine was one of the best. I had four best friends born into my family. We held american girl doll derby races on the neighbor's driveway. My mother taught us cartwheels in the front yard. We caught fireflies in the back. My friend Allison and I found a REAL LIFE DINOSAUR EGG (they didn't have the heart to tell us it was a rock). My dad took off our training wheels in the magic circle (magic because it didn't hurt when you fell- I stopped believing this when the circle claimed my two front teeth). Once a year we visited my grandparents in SC- we tubed, knee boarded and front flipped off the boat (not even stopping when you hit your head on the side). It was perfect.

Sometimes I forget how very luck I am to have been born a Butler.

Celebrating Seuss

Happy birthday!!

Today we celebrate a wise man's 108th birthday. Dr. Seuss you brought to our childhood a wacky, eccentric, perfect world where cats wore hats and fish could speak. But- more importantly you brought to us wise words. Words of love, encouragement, self confidence and happiness. Words that still speak to us today.

1. You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.
2. Today you are you, that is truer than true, there is no one alive who is youer than you.
3. Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.
4. You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself any direction you choose.

Happy birthday Dr. Seuss. May your words live on for eternity.